


Something is Wrong with Buffy.

by we_are_who_we_are



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV)
Genre: Eating Disorders, Mental Health Issues, Platonic Relationships, Self-Harm
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-23
Updated: 2020-06-23
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:49:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,384
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24876460
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/we_are_who_we_are/pseuds/we_are_who_we_are
Summary: Exploring the platonic father/daughter relationship between Buffy and Giles. TW for self harm and eating disorders (inc. numbers). All characters belong to original creators. Set somewhere around the end of Season 2 / start of Season 3.
Relationships: Rupert Giles/Buffy Summers
Kudos: 13





	Something is Wrong with Buffy.

Buffy stepped into the library for her late night training with Giles. She was tired, but that was no excuse.

“Oh Buffy! I, uh, thought we could go through some weapons training tonight, you see I’ve managed to get ahold of this new…”

Buffy’s mind wandered as Giles rambled passionately about some new weapon he’d imported from England. Her thoughts drifted, as they so often did, to food. Breakfast - skipped. Lunch - 100 calorie salad. Dinner - would be hard to avoid. Her mother would force her to at least around 400 calories before she could escape to her room. 500 calories total. Providing she didn’t binge.

“-Buffy? Are you listening?”

Shit. Giles. Weapons. Vampires.

“Oh, I, uh -“

“You know Buffy, as the slayer you have a responsibility to listen to your watcher.” Giles observed the look on Buffy’s face. “Is, uh, everything alright?”

Buffy’s eyes shot up “Yeah, fine, just a long day, you know with my makeup tests and all - can we pick this up tomorrow?”

Giles frowned. “Very well then, but this is very important Buffy.”

Buffy nodded, gave a quick “Bye Giles.” and walked out of the room.

He watched her for a second, quietly chastising himself for being too harsh and hoping she’d be back to her usual self tomorrow.

* * *

But as soon as Buffy stepped into the library the next morning, Giles, who stood ready to address the group, could tell something was wrong. She wore a baggy shirt over a vest and grey joggers, which were in no way suitable for the 100 degree weather outside, and her hair was tied back in a loose, messy ponytail. She smiled feebly at Giles, Willow and Xander and took her place at the table without a word.

“Uh Buff, what’s with the homeless look?” joked Xander.

His joke was met with no reply, aside from a small sigh and smile. Willow glanced at Giles and Xander, then back to Buffy, who was now staring at the table. “Doughnut, Buffy?” asked Willow, pushing the box towards her friend. Buffy looked up instantly, her pupils dilated, almost in.. fear?

“Oh, no thanks Will, big breakfast -” Buffy forced a smile and turned to Giles before her friends could say anything “Anything we need to know before class, Giles?”

Giles, who had been watching the whole scene take place, slowly collected his thoughts. “No… No I don’t think there is…” he began, still wanting to discuss his ideas about new weaponry.

“Great! I’ll see you all later.” Buffy grabbed the few biology books she had been holding when she walked in and quickly swept out the library.

Willow, Xander and Giles stared at each other for a few moments following Buffy’s abrupt departure. Willow spoke first “Has anyone else noticed that Buffy’s been acting kinda… weird lately?”

“I’m sure she’s fine, probably still just moping about after Angel”, although Buffy had killed Angel, Xander still maintained some of his anger at the pairing. He stood and then followed in Buffy’s direction, favouring class over discussing Buffy and Angel for the umpteenth time.

“You know Willow,” said Giles, taking Xander’s seat at the table, “I think this is a bit more than just sadness over Angel, Buffy normally takes her anger out in training, but last night she was completely uninterested.”

Willow bit her lip and thought carefully about how her bestfriend’s behaviour had changed in the last few weeks. “She has been acting very secretive, and hardly eating, and wearing all these.. weird clothes.”

Giles scratched his head “Honestly Willow I’m worried about Buffy.”

The two spent the next few minutes discussing Buffy’s recent character change before Willow had to rush off to class, leaving Giles alone to muse over what they had discussed.

* * *

Willow reached class just in time, and took her seat next to Buffy. Xander sat behind them, scowling, no doubt angry at Willow for choosing to sit next to Buffy, but Willow needed answers and Cordelia could always join him. As soon as the science class was given the instruction to begin their experiment, Willow began trying to coax information out of Buffy.“Everything okay, Buffy?”

“Yeah, why? replied Buffy without looking up, feigning interest in the chemicals they were mixing. She knew her friends would eventually start asking questions, but she had hoped she could avoid them for a little longer.

“Oh, you know, you just seem a bit upset lately, not that it’s not okay for you to be upset, I just mean, since Angel and -“

Buffy cut off her friends ramble “Will, I’m fine, can we please just do the experiment?”

“Oh. Sure.” Willow forced a smile, inwardly cursing herself for rambling so much.

The girls worked side by side in almost silence, only speaking to compare results. Buffy was concerned by her friends sudden interest in her wellbeing, she wanted to keep her problems private, not advertise them to the whole group, especially since she knew Xander still hadn’t forgiven her for everything that had happened with Angel. Angel. Buffy didn’t often allow herself to think of him because it hurt too much. She missed the way he held her, the way he comforted her, the way he- “Shit!” yelled Buffy as she spilt a toxic chemical all over her arm, instead of pouring it into the beaker as she had intended.

“Buffy! Quick take your shirt off!” Willow attempted to pull at her friends shirt to stop the acid burning her, but Buffy pulled away quickly and ran out of the room. Willow and Xander stared at one another in shock. Forbidden by their teacher to follow Buffy, they set about cleaning up the mess.

* * *

Giles jumped and looked up quickly from his book as Buffy burst into the empty library. He could tell instantly that something had happened. She was crying and holding one of her arms, wrapped in the dry part of the shirt that she had since removed.

“Giles I.. I spilt the acid and… and I couldn’t show them Giles, I couldn’t… But I trust you… and.. and…” Buffy burst into a fresh set of tears still holding her arm tightly.

Giles was unsure of what to say to the girl, instead her grabbed the first aid kit that he kept under the counter and lead Buffy over to the table.

Buffy still held her arm tightly, fearing her watchers reaction once she revealed her secret.

“Buffy, I can’t treat the burns if you don’t give me your arm,”

For the first time in weeks, Buffy made eye contact with her mentor. She knew she could trust him and, slowly, she lowered her arm for him to see.

“Ah.” Was all Giles said as the young girl revealed the evidently self-inflicted cuts that covered her arm.

“Please don’t hate me.” Buffy whispered as tears streamed down her face.

“I don’t hate you,” answered Giles as he treated her burns and wrapped a burn dressing and bandage around her arm “I just, uh, wish you’d been able to speak to me.” He gave the girl a sympathetic look. “I have a spare shirt in the back, you can wear that if you wish.”

Buffy nodded and followed Giles into his office to retrieve it. She slipped the shirt on, wincing as the material made contact with her bandaged arm and sat as Giles set about making tea. When they had sat in silence for a few moments and sipped awkwardly at their drinks, Giles decided it was time to try and help his young mentee. “Buffy I, uh, I’m supposed to report things such as these, as part of my duty as a teacher-” Buffy looked up from her drink in alarm, ready to protest, but Giles cut her off. “-But I’m not going to. I realise that our relationship as slayer and watcher calls for us to bend the rules sometimes.”

Buffy looked at him gratefully. “Thanks Giles, I’ve just,” she sighed. “I've just kinda lost my way a bit I guess.”

Giles offered a warm smile. “As we all do at times, Buffy. I want you to know that you can come to me with anything, vampire related or not, all you will get from me is my support.”

Buffy smiled. “Actually… could you take over the patrol tonight?”

“Of course.”


End file.
